[VHFcontesting] Rover rotators

[John D'Ausilio]

Hi John ..

I use a pair of Yeasu G-800DXA rotators, one has the Idiom Press
controller and the other will shortly. I've got one mounted
more-or-less traditionally on a pipe bolted to a custom bracket on the
front bumper. The other one is on the rear .. I took off the top cone,
leaving just the body of the rotator, and bolted that between a couple
pieces of angle iron and the bottom of the rear mast. I didn't select
them initially but they've not been much problem in the years I've
been roving with them and I like the inexpensive controller. There are
manufacturers of 12V controllers that will drive them, but on the one
I tried you lose the 24V high-rate mode and I had various problems
making it play with roverlog, etc ..

As far as strength, the rotator should only have a vertical load on
it. You need to have some kind of structure that will absorb the
horizontal loads; I use a fore-aft 2x10 that has a notch for the front
mast and is carved to fit my "thrust bearing" on the rear crankup. I
have no problems at 75-ish in calm condx, crosswinds can be tricky
sometimes though ..

The only thing I do as far as pinning is hook a couple safety ropes
from the ends of the rear H-frame to the roof rack .. the front
rotates in motion ;)

my 2 pence
de w1rt/john

On Tue, Aug 4, 2009 at 11:56 AM, <jcplatt1 at mmm.com> wrote:
>
> After many years of roving, I am contemplating some rover enhancements.
> For those rovers who use a rotator, what rotator are you using ?  Could you
> comment on 12vdc vs the need for other voltages, and any noise while
> rotating ?  Also, how does the rotator hold going down the road at 70 mph
> into that 30 mph headwind - do you pin your mast while in transit, etc ?
> Many thanks in advance.
>
> 73, Jon
> W0ZQ/R
>
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